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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23118931">We Are a Family</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kufikiria/pseuds/Kufikiria'>Kufikiria</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(Near) Future, Canon Compliant, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, Missing Scenes, Mutual Pining, One Shot Collection, Pre-Relationship, Romance, Season/Series 07, all sorts of things, and the previous ones, canon divergences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-03-12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 05:48:13</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>10,522</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23118931</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kufikiria/pseuds/Kufikiria</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Peraltiago fanfics #3: canon compliant, canon divergences, stories set in their (near) future, missing scenes from current and past seasons, prompts sent on Tumblr, a lot of fluff, a bit of angst… anything that’s too short to be posted on its own.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jake Peralta/Amy Santiago</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>187</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. You're the Place I Need to Find to Remember the Light</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I started to post my season 7-related OS in my <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/15240303/chapters/35348301">Peraltiago baby fics collection</a> but this one isn’t really baby-related so I decided to create yet another collection lol. Especially since I well intend to still write lots of stories about them.</p>
<p>Beware of spoilers from 7x07 for this first one, since this is my take on what we know so far about tonight’s episode! It also answers a prompt from <a href="https://b99peraltiago.tumblr.com/post/612293981572923392/prompt-list">this list</a>: “You are a terrible liar.”</p>
<p>Hope you’ll like this! xx</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey. Why did you request I get Friday and the weekend off?”</p>
<p>Jake looks up from his computer as Amy takes a seat at the unoccupied desk in front of him — that same desk that used to be <em>hers </em>for so many years —, the familiar sound of her voice distracting him from his work and the otherwise rather quiet bullpen. He might have last seen her only just a few hours ago, but still his face instantly lits up when he meets her gaze.</p>
<p>She’s staring at him with a curious frown on her forehead, waiting for an answer to her question.</p>
<p>“What are you talking about?” He tries to play the innocent card.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, his wife is able to read right through his bluff and call it right away. She puts a hand on his, squeezing gently as she smiles at him. “Babe.” Her eyes are piercing through his core. The pet name, though highly familiar by now, warms him up inside. “Don’t try to do this. We both know you are a terrible liar. Plus I just come from Terry’s office, and he told me to tell you that your request to get both our weekend off has been approved. So what’s going on?”</p>
<p>Jake lets out a sigh.</p>
<p>This was supposed to be a surprise, but Amy’s right — he <em>is </em>a terrible liar. Well, when it comes to lying to <em>her </em>at least. She’s an amazing sergeant who can easily tell when someone is hiding something, and in particular when <em>he </em>is. She knows him better than anyone else, after all.</p>
<p>“Okay,” he says in defeat. “Remember those VIP tickets I got for the premiere of the <em>Kwazy Kupcake </em>movie?”</p>
<p>“Mmhmm.” Amy nods. “Did you find someone to take them?”</p>
<p>“Yeah. Charles bought them. Apparently he and Terry came to a compromise. He’s gonna go with Nikolaj and the twins or something. Anyway, huh, <em>surprise! </em>I booked us a weekend away in the Berkshires with that extra money.” One of his hands comes scratching the back of his neck in a nervous tic as he looks at her.</p>
<p>This was kind of a last-minute impulsive decision he made, an idea he got the moment he received the tickets and decided to get rid of them. He thought it could do them some good — to get away from the buzzing of New York City for three days and reconnect after the past six stressful, exhausting months they just spent. It’s not like it took a real toll on their relationship — they’re still so in love with each other, ready to face everything together. A very solid team.</p>
<p>But they did somewhat forget about the most romantic parts of their couple along the way, from going on dates and sharing lovely evenings or even being intimate with each other just because they want to instead of seeing it as a tiring ‘chore’ that will allow them to finally get pregnant. They’re already slowly getting back to their rhythm, but Jake thought that changing scenery for a little while couldn’t be bad. He misses spending time with his wife just for the sake of it.</p>
<p>Because they love each other’s company more than anyone else’s.</p>
<p>With such a trip, they will be able to relax and think about something else entirely as they find themselves surrounded by nothing but beautiful natural landscapes (he’s been told that the Berkshires look absolutely <em>gorgeous </em>in the winter), and god knows they need it after that past crazy half of a year.</p>
<p>“You did?” Amy’s face has now completely softened when she answers him. She’s watching him with big bright eyes that make his heart swoon.</p>
<p>
  <em>He loves her. So, so much.</em>
</p>
<p>Jake places his second hand on top of the two that are already held together on the desk and squeezes gently. “Yeah. I thought it could be good for us after, y’know…” He takes a breath, drawing slow circles on Amy’s skin and feeling his chest tighten as the memory of his hopeless, desperate wife comes back into his mind. There’s nothing he hates more than seeing her in such a state.</p>
<p>Her smile, bright and beautiful and able to lighten up a room by itself, is his absolute favorite in the world. He would give anything if it meant it would remain plastered on her lovely face forever, her happiness never tamed.</p>
<p>She deserves everything and more.</p>
<p>“We could use some time away to be together, just the two of us,” Jake chases the sad images away as he finishes his speech.</p>
<p>He smiles, something sincere and genuine — an expression that is soon to reciprocate on Amy’s features. She’s quick to answer him.</p>
<p>“You’re right.” She nods her approval. “Thank you.” She then leans over to place a quick peck on his cheek, and Jake knows she <em>truly </em>appreciates his idea — the times when Amy kisses him at the office are very rare and precious.</p>
<p>
  <em>Meaningful.</em>
</p>
<p>(Well, except for when they’re both super drunk and decide to get crazy and have sex in one of the supply closets, but it’s not like these are occurrences that happen too often. And it’s still meaningful, in some way.)</p>
<p>After that she stands up, ready to get back to her own desk and work. But before she does, she puts a hand on Jake’s shoulder and whispers to his ear.</p>
<p>“Sorry I ruined the surprise. But for the record… you maybe be a terrible liar, but you’re an amazing husband. I love you.”</p>
<p>“Love you too.” He beams back at her as he watches her leave.</p>
<hr/>
<p>In the end, this little gateway <em>does </em>do them some good.</p>
<p>It’s three days spent in the loveliest, coziest cabin in the middle of nowhere. It’s lazy mornings with nothing else but the bright sun shining through the curtains to wake them up and staying in bed for as long as it pleases them, making love whenever they want to, without pressuring themselves to <em>make a baby</em>.</p>
<p>It’s eating fondue with wine at overpriced restaurants and quiet walks hand-in-hand, Amy snuggling by Jake’s side to stay warm, followed by cuddles in front of the fireplace. It’s quality time in the hot water of the jacuzzi, under the hot water of the big shower. It’s a lot of love, and a lot of laugh, and a lot of romantic moments, making up for the lack of them during the past months.</p>
<p>In the end, it’s just the two of them. Jake and Amy. Enjoying life and their beautiful <em>family</em>.</p>
<p>(They don’t know it yet, simply living in the moment while they are there, but some time in the future, this cabin with become their go-to place every winter with their children — making a new tradition out of it, with hot chocolates and movie nights and snowpeople and so, so much fun and <em>love</em>.)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Come a Little Closer, Let Me Taste Your Smile</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>1. “What if I kissed you right now?”</p><p>Or, a 2x17 Canon divergence.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I wrote this solely so that I can finally use this title. This is nothing but just some pining Peraltiago finally kissing lmao. Enjoy?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She wants to kiss him.</p><p>It’s not a thought that occurs to Amy all of a sudden, coming from the way Jake currently looks at her, eyes dark and piercing through her core as he gently sways her around their corner of the dancefloor with the softest smile tugging at his lips. The feeling was there, lingering at the back of her mind, long before this night. Patiently waiting to come out again.</p><p>She thought she managed to tame it just well over the last few months. She thought that hiding behind some <em>we’re just friends</em> and <em>it’s in the past</em> would help her, persuading herself that it’s for the best. She thought… but clearly she was wrong. Because no matter what, she still wants to kiss him — and tonight, it seems harder than ever to repress it, when he’s standing so tall and close to her with his entire being enlightened by the glow of the fairy lights above.</p><p>She wants to kiss him; and she wants to kiss him <em>bad</em>.</p><p>And so this time, instead of shutting the thought away, she lets it win.</p><p>“What if I kissed you right now?” The words are out of her mouth before she can stop them, hanging in the air between them, raw and low into her ears. Sincere.</p><p>Amy is well-aware of her tipsy state — that same tipsiness that prompted her to share out loud what’s on her mind (or rather in a whisper, only for Jake to hear and covered by the slow music ringing at full volume against the walls). Yet she knows for a fact that she’s not drunk enough to wake up the next morning and think of it as a mistake.</p><p>No, she <em>wants</em> this. With every fibre of her being, she wants to finally get a taste of those lips that have been taunting her for too long. And she’s tired of lying (to Jake, to <em>herself</em>), tired of hiding, tired of being a coward and let her chances slip one by one. She did that the first, the second, and hell — even the <em>third</em> time, when she could have asked him to dance with her earlier today but deflected and chose to prank him instead.</p><p>At least they’re dancing now. Or they were — because they stopped in their tracks as the question was asked, stilling the time around them while silence followed her words.</p><p>They stand frozen in place, forgetting about the people inside the room and the soft music in the background. Amy can see the glint inside Jake’s eyes flicker in the dim light, his Adam’s apple bob in a swallow. She holds his gaze and he holds hers too.</p><p>With her head tilted up, she’s suddenly made hyper-aware of their height difference and the very small journey her lips would have to take in order to meet his. Their bodies are close, <em>so close</em>, perfectly wrapped together in a loving embrace. Amy’s mind focuses on every point of contact between them — his hands on her waist, previously drawing slow circles over her dress, and now holding more firmly onto her, grazing her skin. Her own fingers, draped around his neck and absentmindedly playing with the short hair there.</p><p>She wishes she could go further up; let them tangle in his dark curls and see what it feels like.</p><p>She wants to kiss him.</p><p>She knows there’s something between them, electricity in the air sparkling every time they share a room, and she knows that Jake knows too. They’re not <em>just</em> friends.</p><p>And if she tried to persuade herself of the opposite for so long, now she’s willing to admit it. She wants to <em>kiss him</em>.</p><p>“Wh— <em>what?!</em>”</p><p>Suddenly, Jake seems to come out of his daze as his words cut through heavy silence. He looks at Amy expectantly; it’s like he’s trying to make sure her question wasn’t a trick of his imagination.</p><p>She’s not high on her 5-Drink self, but it would appear that she’s drunk on him, because there’s a lot of confidence in her voice when she says, with her gaze locked onto his, “I want to kiss you.”</p><p>It’s <em>real</em>. And Jake seems to get it this time, because something instantly switches in his eyes. They get darker, hungrier, going from Amy’s brown irises to her lips.</p><p>She can hear him take deep breaths against her ear. It sends goosebumps running down her spine.</p><p>And then, quite unexpectedly — she would have imagined an answer first —, his mouth finds hers. And the world starts spinning again. <em>Their</em> world, at least; she can still barely register what’s going on around them or what type of music is now playing inside the venue. She doesn’t really care.</p><p>She doesn’t really care, because Jake is now bringing her closer to his chest as they kiss, and she can feel his heart pounding in unison with hers, and truly it’s all that matters in that instant. It’s everything she’d thought it would be and more; months of pining and build-up finally reaching their highest high tonight, so high they couldn’t keep it in any longer, and coming down to this.</p><p>Jake with his lips on hers. <em>Kissing her.</em></p><p>Amy can’t help but beat herself up for not caving in and come at peace with her own feelings earlier. Not just about the kiss. Yes, she wanted to kiss him so badly (and she <em>is</em>, now, and what a great kisser he is!) but not just for the sake of it. She wanted to kiss him, because she <em>likes</em> him.</p><p>Her goofy partner, her best friend, the person she can always count on to cheer her up.</p><p>How relieving it is to finally allow herself to let go and let it show.</p><p>Eventually (reluctantly), they have to draw away. Amy hears the contented sigh that escapes Jake’s mouth, can see the grin that brightens up his features while their foreheads still touch and their eyes slowly open again. She knows she’s smiling too and wants to kiss that smug grin off his face but before she can make a single move, he breaks the silence between them.</p><p>“You can’t if I kiss you first.” It’s an answer to her previous words; and he sounds proud, so proud that it makes Amy roll her eyes at his antics.</p><p>(There’s an amused smile tugging at her lips, though.)</p><p><em>Of course</em> he had to somehow turn this into a competition. And of course he would want to win it.</p><p>Although for once Amy doesn’t mind losing; because it surely doesn’t feel like it. On the opposite. Her heart is full and warm in her chest with the knowledge that he wanted to kiss her too.</p><p>He likes her too.</p><p>“Shut up.” She shakes her head before leaning in and initiating the kiss this time.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. You're Dear to Me and I Know</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>65. “Help me find my dress.”<br/>“You know, as much as I want to… I don’t want to.”</p><p>3x01 Missing scene, the morning after the date.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I barely ever write early relationship stuff so… I hope this isn’t too bad lol.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The first rays of sunshine streaming through the curtains wake Jake up from his sweet slumber.</p><p>
  <span>On reflex, he hides his head under his pillow, not ready to wake up now. His alarm hasn’t rung yet; this means he still has some precious sleeping time left and he well intends to use it until the last second. He stirs, stretching his whole body in the process and taking up even more space on the mattress than he already does. It’s only when his right foot reaches the left side of the bed without bumping into anything — or any</span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> — that realization suddenly hits him.</span>
</p><p>Amy was there when he last closed his eyes last night.</p><p>
  <span>Amy, his colleague, his best friend, the woman he pined for </span>
  <em>
    <span>for months</span>
  </em>
  <span> and whom he finally got to kiss and take out on a date, spent the night with him. Jake can feel his head aching with a slight hungover but he knows for a fact that this wasn’t a dream — no matter how dreamy the whole evening felt like. He remembers vividly what happened, from the echoes of her laugh to how she made him feel and the way she looked, peacefully asleep next to him after they both reassured each other that breaking their rule of not having sex right away was </span>
  <em>
    <span>definitely not</span>
  </em>
  <span> a mistake.</span>
</p><p>Jake quickly takes his head from under the pillow, and that’s when he finds her: walking around the room with her eyes staring at the floor, as if in search of something. She doesn’t seem to have heard him waking up yet. Jake takes this opportunity to study her for a beat; she’s wearing nothing but an old hoodie of his she must have found on her way. The sight brings a smile to his face and a new kind of warmth to his heart.</p><p>This is, objectively, not the first time he sees her first thing in the morning. Usually, though, it takes a long tiring case (or him screwing up so badly the squad has to work for forty-hours straight) for them to spend the night together — at the precinct, not alone, and fully clothed.</p><p>(Title of your sex tape.)</p><p>
  <span>It is, however, the first time it happens as the aftermath of what Jake can already list as one of his best first dates ever. If not </span>
  <em>
    <span>the</span>
  </em>
  <span> best, if he doesn’t count the first very awkward fifteen minutes of getting used to this new dynamic between the two of them. The rest of the evening clearly made up for this moment.</span>
</p><p>As he watches her move around the place, Jake feels a little disappointed that he didn’t get to wake up together, and just for an instant, a dreading thought <em>why</em> she would already be up occurs to him when he finds that she’s quietly grabbing her discarded clothes on the floor. “Santiago, were you really thinking about sneaking out before I wake up?!” he says in mock-offence, trying to pass it as a joke. Deep down, though, the worry is real.</p><p>
  <span>He can’t help but think — What if now that she’s wide awake, fully sober and far away from their post-sex bliss, she regrets what happened between them?! What if she </span>
  <em>
    <span>does</span>
  </em>
  <span> think it was a mistake after all, despite what they told each other the previous night? It would literally </span>
  <span>
    <em>crush</em>
  </span>
  <span> him.</span>
</p><p>True, they only had one night, but he’s had feelings for her for far longer than that. And that one night settled things even more for him: he likes her. A lot.</p><p>Amy turns around after that, now facing him. She looks a little surprised to find him staring back at her and lets out an exaggerated laugh as she shakes her head.</p><p>“Ha-ha. I tried to wake you up. You told me to leave you alone and then dramatically turned your back away from me to prove your point.” The way she stands in front of the window makes her silhouette somehow glow in the otherwise darkness, like an angel gracing him of her presence in his home. Her eyes on him are soft and sincere, which helps Jake to calm down a little.</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t remember this conversation they apparently had </span>
  <span>
    <em>at all</em>
  </span>
  <span>, but he’s not really surprised.</span>
</p><p>“<span>Sorry. I’m not a morning person,” he shyly apologizes. This is not the best way to treat a date on their first morning together, he guesses. Good thing Amy already </span><span>knows him.</span></p><p>
  <span>His</span>
  <span> right hand comes scratching the back of his neck nervously.</span>
</p><p>This time, Amy’s burst of laughter comes straight from her heart. “Really?! I never noticed, in all these years of working with you,” she teases. The last thread of worry leaves his body at once, suddenly feeling dumb for doubting her and laughing along with her.</p><p>Relaxing silence falls upon them after that for a little while before Jake breaks it again. He sits up on the bed and leans over to get a little closer. “So what are you doing?” he asks.</p><p>“<span>I’m looking for my dress. Not that I don’t like your company, but I need to go home and get changed. And your place is such a mess, I can’t find it.” She lets out a sigh as she looks around the floor and all the things discarded on it as if to prove her point. For Jake’s defense, this isn’t really his fault if he didn’t think about tidying up before their date. He wanted to respect Amy’s desire to wait before they have sex, so how could have he imagind them ending up here?! (He doesn’t really feel guilty either that, in their rush to discover each other’s body once they </span><span><em>did</em></span><span> end up here</span><span>, they got rid of each other’s clothes without caring where they’d land.) “Ugh, I knew we should have gone back to my apartment.”</span></p><p>This last sentence is more of a comment she makes for herself than anything, but Jake still hears it. He can’t help but let out a loud laugh.</p><p>“What’s funny?!” Amy glares at him in return.</p><p>It only makes him laugh more. “You do remember you’re the one who almost begged me to take you here when I offered to take you home because my apartment was closer to where we were and you couldn’t take your hands away from this,” he jokingly points at his still naked body under the covers with a suggestive smile. “Right?!”</p><p>He watches as a blush creeps up on Amy’s face with his words, starting at the tip of her ears.</p><p>“<span>What I remember is that </span><em><span>you</span></em><span> didn’t need much convincing to let me come in either,” she says in defense.</span></p><p>
  <span>Jake can’t help but find her incredibly adorable, even when she grabs his stuffed shark from the floor and throws it at him. He still can’t quite believe that she’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>here</span>
  </em>
  <span>. As in, for realz. This all feels so surreal — the two of them teasing each other, like they always do, but this time in his studio and barely wearing any clothes after what had already been a night full of fun together.</span>
</p><p>He must be the luckiest man alive.</p><p>“<span>Don’t you </span><em><span>dare</span></em><span> treat Jaw-n McClane like this.” He gasps in mock-shock as he goes on with their banter. Amy shakes her head at his antics, although he can see a smile tugging at her lips and can hear the chuckle that escapes her mouth.</span></p><p>“Jaw-n McClane, really?” she mocks.</p><p>“<span>Careful, Amy. I </span><em><span>can</span></em><span> kick you out of my apartment.”</span></p><p>“We both know you wouldn’t,” she says teasingly and Jake has to admit she’s right.</p><p>
  <span>He doesn’t want to kick her out. If anything, he wants to do this — going out on a date, ending up at one of their apartments and falling asleep together after a night of love — again. Soon. He missed his chances so many times in the past; now that he </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> did something about his feelings for her and learned that she likes him too, he well intends to cherish what they have and not screw it up.</span>
</p><p>“Anyway, get out of here. Help me find my dress.” Her voice takes him out of his reverie.</p><p>Jake only grins in return as he studies her with a suggestive gaze shining in his eyes. “You know, as much as I want to… I don’t want to,” he teases back.</p><p>“Seriously?!”</p><p><span>The truth is, he doesn’t want her to leave just yet and let this dreamy date end already. And so he tells her so. Or at least tries to convey it in his own way, without appearing too emotional over it. It’s way too soon. He has to keep his cool. “C’mon, Ames. There’s still so much time left before we need to go to work! You didn’t even get to live the full </span>‘<span>Night With Peralta’ experience by waking up with me.”</span></p><p>“… because you didn’t want to wake up when I did,” she reminds him.</p><p>“Maybe. But I’m awake now.” He looks her straight in the eye. “And you don’t wanna miss on the full experience, do you?” He offers her his biggest, dreamiest smile.</p><p>Amy lets out a sigh. She glances up at the clock on his kitchen wall, seems to consider his offer for a beat then sighs again.</p><p>“Okay. I guess I can go back to sleep for a few minutes. But then you’ll help me find my dress?!”</p><p>“Promise. I’ll even drive you to your apartment if you need a ride.”</p><p>“I might take you up on that.” She slides under the covers, on the unoccupied side of the bed with the softest smile covering her face now. And, for the umpteenth time since the previous night, when she’s comfortably lying in front of him again and he gets to kiss her hello (because he can do that, now, as often as he likes to), Jake can’t believe that this is his life.</p><p>He got to fall asleep with Amy, and now gets to wake up with her too.</p><p>
  <span>(He doesn’t know it now, of course, but he will get to do it tons and tons of times over the next many years — for </span>
  <span>
    <em>the rest of his life</em>
  </span>
  <span>.)</span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Drabbles</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A collection of a few very short glimpses into the life of Jake and Amy.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Okay so, there was this game on Tumblr, where someone sends you a word and you have to write a 3-sentence fic based on this word. And… let’s just say that I got obsessed and wrote quite a few of them haha.</p>
<p>Most of them are baby-related and have been posted in my baby fics collection, but here are the few that I wrote about other moments in their relationship ;) There are several of them that I liked so I wanted to have them gathered somewhere, even though they’re very very short!</p>
<p>(Some of them are longer than 3 sentences because I couldn’t stop myself haha.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>EMOJIS:</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p>It’s just an emoji — a <em>red heart </em>emoji, yes, but still just an emoji.</p>
<p>Jake shouldn’t feel his own organ start beating faster in his chest over something so simple coming from his <em>girlfriend</em>, and yet he can’t help it; as he looks at Amy’s answer, that same woman who almost never uses emojis in any of her texts (and definitely never punctuated one of her texts to him with a heart before), a feeling of warmth spreads across his whole being.</p>
<p>Maybe he’s starting to fall in love.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>LOVE:</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Apart from the exceptional ‘honey’ that Jake lets slip from time to time when talking to Amy, it’s been naturally established pretty early on in their relationship that ‘babe’ would be their designated pet name — they both like it very much.</p>
<p>But then they’re assigned on a case together, and Jake, hiding behind his undercover persona, calls her ‘love’ instead, and it’s like something switches inside Amy’s heart when she hears the new term of endearment; there’s something about the way the word rolls on her husband’s tongue that makes her swoon completely. It’s a good thing they’re playing a couple, she thinks, because otherwise the looks she gives him in return, full of adoration, would have probably given them away regarding the true nature of their relationship.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>SPACE:</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p>They’re standing together with almost no space between their two bodies, so close that Jake can feel Amy’s slow breath on him and her throbbing heart against his own chest.</p>
<p>
  <span>This is not the time to be thinking about this — they’re hiding away from a notorious </span>
  <em>
    <span>murderer </span>
  </em>
  <span>to keep their cover, after all — but Jake can’t help himself: with her lips so close to his, his mind </span>
  <em>
    <span>has </span>
  </em>
  <span>to take him to some place where he would break the infinitesimal distance between them and press a kiss onto her lips. And he almost gives in to that urge, actually, when he catches Amy’s gaze going from his eyes to his mouth then back on his eyes again with a new knowing glint shining there — but then, as he leans down to meet her halfway, a pang resonates against the door (</span>
  <em>
    <span>All clear!</span>
  </em>
  <span>, they’re told) and the moment is lost.</span>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>INSPIRED:</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p>“What’s that?” Jake finds <em>his wife </em>(god, does it feel good to call Amy this — it’s only been a day since the wedding but he’s pretty sure the wonderful feeling that comes with the word will never fade away) sitting on their bed with what seems to be several pieces of paper in her hands, thoroughly reading them.</p>
<p>She shoots him a loving smile as she looks up to face him. “My real wedding vows,” she says and his heart soars when he takes another, better look at those pieces of paper she holds; these seem to be quite <em>long </em>wedding vows, meant to be about <em>him </em>and the love she feels. Amy must read the surprise and emotion on his face, because she’s quick to add with a blush creeping up her ears and neck and cheeks, “What? I was inspired.”</p>
<p>(And she was indeed, Jake discovers when she offers to read them to him now, since she wasn’t able to do so during the ceremony; he cries all the way through, overwhelmed by her words of love and <em>his </em>own love he feels towards her — Jake still can’t believe he was so lucky to marry his best friend, his soulmate, his <em>dream girl </em>and will get to live the rest of his life with her.)</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <span class="u">
    <b>SLEEP:</b>
  </span>
</p>
<p>Amy loves to watch Jake sleep.</p>
<p>She loves how angelic he looks and how his mouth sometimes twitch up in a smile (on the days it does, it’s usually followed by him excitedly telling her later that <em>I dreamed about you! </em>then processing to share said dream with her over breakfast), she loves to comb her hand through his messy curls and feel him instinctively relax against her touch and, well… she simply loves <em>him.</em></p>
<p>It’s another thing she missed during those past months of trying — naturally getting up before him and watching him sleep for a while with a smile of her own, still revelling in the fact that she gets to wake up with the love of her life by her side even after all this time; it’s still early in the morning (it’ll take some time for her internal clock to get back to normal and let her sleep past 6:14 like they did for the past months) and her heart is still a little broken, but as she presses a kiss to his collarbone that owes her a dreamy sigh from him, Amy can only agree with Jake’s words from the previous night — they <em>are </em>already a family, and a pretty awesome one, if you ask her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Kissing at Red Lights</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jake and Amy on the way to the precinct the morning after their first date.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The title is pretty straightforward lol… this is just a short fic answering a prompt sent to me on Tumblr: “Kissing at red lights.” :)</p>
<p>I know I wrote something very similar like, last year but it was from Amy’s POV while here it’s from Jake’s so it’s a little change haha? (And well it’s not exactly the same anyway. Especially regarding the ending.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Jake has shared <em>many </em>car rides with Amy ever since they started working together — whether it was to reach a crime scene, because they were assigned on a stakeout together, carpooling for the squad’s annual beach house weekend or even that night when he won their bet and took her out on a ‘date.’ Hell, this isn’t even the first time they’re heading to work together, as it happened at least a couple of times in their several years of partnership.</p>
<p>(No real surprise here, she was the first person he thought to call when his car once didn’t want to start and he needed a ride to the precinct; even though he knew they were living in opposite directions to their workplace.)</p>
<p>It is, however, the first time it happens after she stayed the night at his apartment after they went on a <em>real </em>date and broke their ‘no sex right away’ rule.</p>
<p>Obviously, he doesn’t regret it (he and Amy talked about it at length the previous night). He can feel his heartbeat quicken everytime he glances to the right at the woman sitting at the passenger’s seat, his mind filling with magical memories of the previous night or even earlier this morning. But still; there’s one question that needs to be asked: what about now?</p>
<p>If they didn’t mind breaking one of their rules, there is another that they’d like to keep intact. <em>Let’s not tell anyone. </em>But they’re currently carpooling (his fault: he kind of ‘forced’ Amy to stay in bed a little longer that she should have, which resulted in her not having the time to go change at home without <em>him </em>driving her there then driving the both of them to the precinct), and there’s no way that the two of them coming to work together won’t raise some suspicions among at least some of their coworkers. One, especially.</p>
<p>
  <em>Charles.</em>
</p>
<p>And they truly don’t want to have to deal with him.</p>
<p>“So… what do we do now?” He lowers the volume on the radio and the Taylor Swift tune that’s playing there, sneaking a quick peek at Amy before he focuses his whole attention back on the road ahead while he shares his thoughts out loud. He catches how her attention settles on him from the corner of his eye; he sees her smile, and it makes him smile too.</p>
<p>“The precinct’s only two blocks away from here. Drop me at the next red lights, I’ll go on by foot. With the traffic, I should make it before you. I’ll text you when I’m there just in case.” She seems to have been thinking about this too, because it doesn’t take her long to come up with a solution.</p>
<p>“Great. Smort.” Jake nods. This is a good plan indeed, that should allow them to remain discreet. He should feel relieved that this one interrogation that was haunting is mind is now resolved, but he isn’t. Because now, another question lingers: what happens next? He knows he and Amy are supposed to take it light and breezy, but he really enjoyed their time together, and would love to do it again. Soon. Like… “Hey, do you wanna grab dinner again tonight?” The words are out before he can think too much about them. He’s quick to regret them when Amy doesn’t answer right away, though — <em>is he going too fast?! </em></p>
<p>They haven’t even gone their separate ways from their first date, after all. And yet here he is, already making plans for later.</p>
<p>The lights turn red in front of him, so once he stops the car, Jake can take a real look at Amy. He finds her smiling at him while she unbuckles her seatbelt; it helps him calm down as he reciprocates it. “Sure,” she says and his whole body relaxes in an instant with the word. “Only if we go to <em>my </em>place this time.” She shoots him a knowing look that, this time, makes him grin in return.</p>
<p>“Of course. Whatever you want.”</p>
<p>“Okay.” Suddenly her voice soften, just like her expression when she stares at him with a small beam, and Jake <em>knows </em>he’s a goner. “Great.” She gets closer to him to press a quick peck on his lips before she gets out of the car.</p>
<p>Even though they kissed quite a few times now, and this one is not much in comparison to some of their previous passionate exchanges, it still sends goosebumps running down his spine and makes his heartbeat fasten. He still can’t believe he gets to kiss Amy Santiago, this wonderful woman he’s had a crush on for quite some time now. Life truly is beautiful.</p>
<p>“See you at the precinct.” She shoots him one last look before she gets out. He watches her leave with a dreamy smile lighting up his whole face.</p>
<p>What a lucky man he is that she wants to go out with him. <em>Twice</em>, now.</p>
<p>It’s only when the car behind him honks at him that he comes back from his reverie, realizing that the lights have turned green, and goes on with his course.</p>
<p>(Jake remembers that day years later while driving his family back home after their son is born and he and his wife take the opportunity of stopping at a red light to glance at their sleeping newborn on the backseat and share a quick kiss.</p>
<p>It was the morning after their first night of love back then and now, this love brought a whole new tiny human into this world.</p>
<p>“We really did it, huh. We made a <em>baby</em>.”</p>
<p>“Yes we did.”)</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Adjusting the Other's Neck Tie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>4x22. Jake and Amy, and the morning before his and Rosa’s trial.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Just another little drabble based off a prompt that nobody asked me apart from my own brain haha. I know everyone is hyped for the season 7 finale and a potential Peraltiago Baby but here’s a bit of angst if you want!</p>
<p>Thank you @kamelea for your nice words and always being there to read over my works ♥</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jake is already awake when Amy’s alarm goes off and she opens her eyes; as she turns to face him, she wonders if he had any sleep at all. The morning is still young, yet she can see through the curtains that the sun is already up and shining through a clear sky outside — a dire contrast to the cloudy atmosphere hanging above their heads while she and Jake share a knowing look.</span>
</p>
<p>Today is the day they will learn whether or not he and Rosa are being condemned to fifteen years of prison.</p>
<p>Amy made sure to put her alarm a little earlier than supposed to, so that when Jake inevitably asks to stay in bed for a little longer, she can agree to his request without fear of being late. They cuddle for a while in silence, her arms firmly wrapped around his body with her face hidden in the crook of his neck — she lets herself get lost in the instant, savouring it <em>just in case</em>.</p>
<p>That’s what she does all morning, actually; she imprints every moment spent together in her mind, from their shared shower to their conversations over breakfast.</p>
<p>Even if he tries to keep a brave face and makes her laugh with his silly jokes, Amy knows Jake, and she knows all of this is just a façade. Just like behind her own smiles are hidden some spiralling thoughts she can’t share — the last thing Jake needs right now is for her to break down in front of him. He needs her support.</p>
<p>He needs her to be <em>hopeful</em>.</p>
<p>But even though they both know he and Rosa are innocent, and know that they have some strong arguments to prove it, deep down they can’t help but be scared about things possibly not working out.</p>
<p>Amy joins Jake in their room after putting the dishes in the sink (washing them can wait today) and finds him sitting on the edge of their bed with his courtroom clothes on. He doesn’t seem to have heard her coming; his hands are distractingly playing with the hem of the tie that’s loosely hanging around his neck and his gaze is focused somewhere in the distance in front of him.</p>
<p>She hears him sigh. It makes her heart ache in her chest as she approaches him, shooting him a smile when he finally looks up in her direction.</p>
<p>“Hey.” He smiles in return, his façade back on. “I’m almost ready.” His eyes switch down towards his loose tie.</p>
<p>Amy follows his gaze and instinctively takes the piece of clothes between her hands to adjust it for him. Their eyes meet again as she does so, sharing a silent conversation. Jake’s body is tense; she can tell because it slowly relaxes against her expert touch — she lets her fingers linger on his chest even after she’s done straightening his tie, now playing with it while being unwilling to move just yet.</p>
<p>For a moment, neither of them dares to say a word.</p>
<p>As she gets lost into her boyfriend’s gaze, Amy’s mind starts buzzing again. She doesn’t want to think about the worst, but it’s also in her nature to be prepared, so she wants to ask him what it’ll mean for them if Jake is found guilty and does get sentenced to fifteen years of prison. There’s no doubt in her mind that she will fight for him and wait for him, no matter how long their separation shall be.</p>
<p>It’s a question she had been faced with months ago already, when Jake was sent into witness protection and she had no idea when he would be back.</p>
<p>Their bond is stronger now that it was back then, and even though the two situations are different in several ways, one thing for sure remains the same: she will not give up on him. She never will. And she needs him to know that, but she also doesn’t know how to start the conversation — how to bring that taboo topic of <em>what if things don’t go the way we’re so sure they will?</em></p>
<p>Jake’s got enough on his plate, already.</p>
<p>Amy moves her hand from his chest towards his cheek; she can feel him lean against her palm and sigh again while she gently strokes the smooth skin with her thumb. He closes his eyes for an instant and when they meet with hers again, she shoots him a small, soft smile. “I love you,” she whispers, low and sincere, the only words able to leave her mouth right now.</p>
<p>She hopes they are enough.</p>
<p>Jake grabs her wrist, inviting her down towards him. She obliges, and he presses a soft kiss to her lips when she’s close enough, then stares into her eyes after they part — still not drawing too far away from each other.</p>
<p>“I love you too.” He smiles back at her, and some kind of understanding passes between them as he eventually stands up so that they can finish getting ready before they leave the apartment and walk towards his and Rosa’s fates.</p>
<p>Maybe that harsh conversation can wait a little longer.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Here's Where We Begin</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jake and Amy share one last stakeout together before she leaves the Nine-Nine. It’s the end of an era… and the beginning of another.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>don’t ask me about the timeline bc i have absolutely no idea when this is supposed to be set lmao. probably late season 2, i’d say? anyway this is inspired by a scene from chuck (episode 3x11) aka. my current obsession.</p>
<p>it’s also written for @kamelea kasia’s birthday using one of her fave trope!! hopefully you’ll like it ♥</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“So. Our last stakeout together, huh?”</p>
<p>With everything being calm and uneventful around them, Amy puts down her binoculars for a minute. She side-glances at Jake while grabbing one of the two takeout bags placed in front of them — the one full of perogies and potato pancakes that her partner bought for her on the way. <em>My parting gift for you: the best stakeout you’ve ever been on</em>, he said when he made a stop at her favorite Polish place and she shot a surprised look at him.</p>
<p>They haven’t been settled in here for a long time, but Jake’s already being true to his words. Some music he somehow knows she likes to listen to in such a situation is playing in the background at a low enough volume that it won’t distract them from their task all the while making their environment a little cosier. These are simple, yet very thoughtful gestures that keep touching her deeply.</p>
<p>Although to be honest, everything about tonight makes her feel extra emotional. There’s a bittersweet atmosphere hanging in the air — even though Amy’s decision to move on from the Nine-Nine has been taken for the best and will take her one step closer to realizing her dream of becoming the NYPD’s youngest captain, she’s also sad to be leaving this place that became her home in the last few years. She’s going to miss her squad-turned-family.</p>
<p>Most especially, she’s going to miss the man who’s currently sitting next to her with a genuine smile shot in her direction.</p>
<p>Her past-self would never believe it if she could go back in time and tell herself that this annoying colleague of hers would in time become one of her best friends. And yet somehow he did.</p>
<p>(Newly-graded Detective Santiago would be even more astonished to learn that she caught feelings for him. As in, romantic-stylez.)</p>
<p>“Yep. Hope you remember me when you become a captain and gets assigned your own squad.” Jake chuckles through his answer, biting into his own meal — a slice of pizza he got from Tony’s — while some tomato sauce leaves a stain at the corner of his mouth, but Amy knows better. She knows that behind the teasing and no matter how happy he might be for her and her career, he’s also sad to see his partner leave. She can read it in the glow of his ever-expressive eyes despite his attempt at hiding is as best as he can. She knows him.</p>
<p>This is why, instead of joking back like she would usually do, she chooses to be sincere instead. “I doubt I could ever forget you,” she says in a soft voice that wants to be reassuring. “Plus it’s not like we’re saying goodbye, right? We’ll still see each other a lot.”</p>
<p>To this, Jake smiles — something real and bright, this time. With no hidden feelings behind. “We better, if you don’t want <em>me </em>to forget you.”</p>
<p>“Goldfish memory, huh?” Amy laughs as she remembers a conversation they had in the past. He offers her a playful grin in return.</p>
<p>“Exactly.”</p>
<p>They both fall quiet after that. Before she puts her whole attention back on the task at hand, Amy takes a moment to look at Jake and her heart clenches in her chest as she does so.</p>
<p>She’s for sure gonna miss seeing this face almost every day.</p>
<p>It takes a little while spent in silence until Jake talks again — he’s never been one to work without noise. It’s something she learned quite early in their partnership and learned to either embrace or completely ignore depending on the kind of situation they’re stuck in together. Tonight, as it is their last stakeout, she’s grateful for it.</p>
<p>Especially since there’s still no sign of their perp in sight.</p>
<p>“OK, top #5 cases we worked on together,” he asks. “You go first.”</p>
<p>He still has his binoculars on when she puts hers down, hiding his eyes, but she can see an amused smile tugging at his lips. It makes her smile too.</p>
<p>“Really?” Jake must sense her watching him because he’s quick to look back at her. He nods.</p>
<p>“Mmmhmm.”</p>
<p>Caught off-guard by the question, it takes Amy a few seconds of thinking before she can answer. They were assigned on so many cases together over the years, whether it was under McGintley or Holt’s captainships that it makes it hard to pick just a few favorites. After a little while, though, she finally knows what to say. Her heart warms up in her chest at the reminder of one particular case, very early in their partnership.</p>
<p>“I liked our first stakeout, actually. You couldn’t shut up but somehow, for once I didn’t mind. I feel like I learned a lot about you that night… <em>Pineapples</em>.” She stares at him with a knowing look.</p>
<p>“And I still regret telling you that <em>so much</em>.” Jake pouts in mock-annoyance. His face, glowing with amusement, betrays him, though. “My turn.” He’s quick to go on. “Number #4. That case I solved before you even arrived at the scene. The one with the nanny cam.” The proud cocky grin he shoots her makes Amy roll her eyes.</p>
<p>“You just got <em>lucky</em>,” she repeats what she told him back in the day.</p>
<p>“Nah. You just have to face it, Santiago. You might be the one who got the promotion, but I’m the better Detective here. Remember who won our bet?” He laughs when she (slightly) punches him in the side, absolutely not thrown off by the gesture. “That’s my pick for our number #3, by the way. The case we had to work on when we were on our date together. You made a pretty great almost-fiancée, <em>Susan</em>.”</p>
<p>“You remember the name?!” Amy’s a little stunned — as someone who can come up with so many undercover personas (for himself and others) in the span of just a simple week, it’s quite impressive that Jake would recall this one from more than a year ago. Especially since he’s supposed to have the memory of a goldfish, as they stated earlier.</p>
<p>“Well, we caught the bad guys. Makes it easier to remember,” he says but Amy can tell there’s more to it from his body language and how he seems more fidgety than he was until then all of a sudden. The whole atmosphere changes between them after this small exchange, actually — the light and fun retrospection of their years as partners turns into something more serious and heavy.</p>
<p>Amy feels the urge to speak as she can sense herself getting very emotional. “We were a great team, you and I.” A nostalgic smile forms on her features. “I’m gonna miss it,” she confesses while she looks around at their surroundings then settles her gaze on Jake.</p>
<p>He smiles back at her, eyes getting lost into hers. He lets out a sigh that sounds a little defeated. “I’m gonna miss <em>you</em>,” he says bluntly. The words surprise Amy.</p>
<p>Jake isn’t usually the kind of person to share such feelings with others; he rather represses them and hides behind playful grins and many jokes. He’s sincere, here, though. Amy can tell this small sentence holds a much deeper meaning than it is through the way he looks at her, with his gaze piercing through her core. His eyes are shining in the dim light of their stakeout with an intensity she’s seen once before directed towards her. On the night <em>he </em>had to go away for who knows how long and where.</p>
<p>
  <em>I kinda wish something could happen between us, romantic-stylez.</em>
</p>
<p>Her heart skips a beat as past declarations of feelings, on both their parts, come rushing back into her mind in flashes. They talked about how they’d rather stay friends but the electricity that’s currently striking above their heads tells otherwise. And it’s not just right now — not just tonight. Amy’s been feeling this pull between them again for quite some time, if she has to be honest with herself.</p>
<p>It’s only intensifying with the realization that this is it; their last case together. And, no matter how much she knows she’s gonna love her new job, she can’t help but hate that fact.</p>
<p>Hate that Jake’s not gonna be her partner in crimes anymore. He <em>could </em>become her partner in another field, though, if only they dared to try.</p>
<p>They said so themselves, after all: they’re a great team. And they both care deeply for each other. On a romantic level as well.</p>
<p>She doesn’t want to lose that.</p>
<p>“I’m gonna miss you too,” Amy eventually says, her voice barely above a whisper and never leaving Jake’s eyes.</p>
<p>Her answer seems to spark something inside of him as his smile turns bigger and brighter. She smiles back, a silent understanding passing between them as they keep gazing at each other. Slowly, yet very surely, Jake starts leaning in her direction and Amy is quick to mimic him, ready to meet him halfway. Her heart is pounding in anticipation the closer their faces get to one another.</p>
<p>Jake never stops smiling as he approaches her — or at least until she can’t see him anymore, closing her eyes as she’s ready to meet his lips at last.</p>
<p>They should have given into their feelings a long time ago, she can’t help but think…</p>
<p>But then, it happens. A noise that makes them both jump in surprise, taking a step away from the other.</p>
<p>If for just a split second, Amy started to forget where they were, reality strikes her as soon as she opens her eyes again: in the street below stands their perp, who finally decided to show up. When she glances at him, Amy can see that Jake seems a little disappointed by such bad timing from their criminal (and she has to admit that she is as well) but they both know what’s the most important here.</p>
<p>Their job.</p>
<p>So they go after the man and let that meaningful moment between them pass them by.</p>
<hr/>
<p>A few hours pass before Amy and Jake find themselves alone again, riding down the elevator on their way out of the precinct after what turned out to be a successful stakeout. She’s got a box full of personal effects from her (old) desk, and she caught her partner side-eyeing it several times ever since they walked into the engine together, but he didn’t make any remark about it.</p>
<p>He’s not talking at all, actually. So Amy breaks the silence herself, hoping to make the heavy atmosphere between them disappear.</p>
<p>“Y’know,” she starts without looking at him, her gaze stuck on the box inside her hands instead, “We never got to pick our favorite case,” she recalls their conversation from earlier and where it (almost) lead them to. She then eventually looks up and shoots Jake a soft smile when she finds him already staring in her direction. “I think tonight could be it. My #1.” Jake’s ever-growing smile with each new word she lets out gives Amy the courage to go on. “There’s only one detail I would change.”</p>
<p>“Which one?”</p>
<p>“I’d make sure we don’t get interrupted.” She beams at him knowingly while his face instantly lights up.</p>
<p>What happens next goes too fast for her to fully register right away — Jake suddenly stops the elevator, puts her box away and <em>finally </em>crashes his lips onto hers in a long-awaited kiss, one that no one’s there to interrupt this time. Amy’s quick to come back to her senses, though, kissing him back with all the passion of someone who’s been waiting a long time for this (while still restraining herself a little — even though their shifts have ended and no one can see them, they’re still at work, after all) until they eventually part, a blissful smile gracing both their features as a silent understanding passes between them.</p>
<p>It seems like they’re still gonna be a team, after all.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. (Underneath the Mistletoe) Hold Me Tight and Kiss Me Slow</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Jake and Amy and a branch of mistletoe at different times of their lives — AKA. post-season 7 and pre-series.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This was written for a B99 Secret Santa I’m taking part of, for the lovely Z AKA. @fezzle :) One of her prompts was about kissing under the mistletoe, and so this happened. I hope you’ll like this :3</p><p>A huge thank you @Kasia for organizing the event over on Discord and for proofreading the fic!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Christmas time with family is never a quiet deal, especially when it involves both Amy and Jake’s sides of it — and even more so this year, with a two-month-old added to the festivities.</p><p></p><div class="">
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    <p>Still, Amy wouldn’t have it any other way. The day has been filled with warmth and laughter, and now that everyone’s asleep (including Mac, whose soft, regular breathings his parents can hear through the baby monitor) or at least retreated to their room, she and her husband can finally enjoy some well-deserved alone time together before heading to bed too.</p>
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    <p>They’re curled up on the big couch with a blanket covering their bodies and a glass of eggnog in hand. They just exchanged their gifts and are now silently sipping their drinks. It’s windy outside, small snowflakes occasionally swirling in front of the windows and reflecting in the lights inside. Not a sound can be heard; Jake and Amy relish in the moment without feeling the need to break through the quiet.</p>
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    <p>It’s like they’re stuck in their own little bubble of happiness.</p>
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    <p>With her head laying against her husband’s shoulder, Amy lets her eyes dreamily wander around the decorated room. It’s quite the beautiful cabin they rented for the occasion. A huge tree is standing in a corner with gifts of different shapes and sizes wrapped in Christmas paper at its foot, waiting to be discovered by the children the next morning. Tinsels and other fairy lights have been put up as well, from the walls to the staircase heading up to the bedrooms.</p>
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    <p>And, right on top of the front door is hanging a branch of mistletoe.</p>
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    <p>That’s what stands out the most to Amy. The sight of it makes her smile fondly — she remembers how, upon their arrival two days ago, Jake made sure to stop under it with their son in his arms and started to tell him all about the tradition before pressing a kiss to Mac’s chubby cheek. Her heart warmed up at the sight and once again she wondered what she’d done to be so lucky in life.</p>
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    <p>Jake is not only a great husband; he’s also an amazing dad. Not that she ever doubted he would be, but to actually <em>see</em> him in action… it’s better than any dreams she had.</p>
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  <p>This is, however, not the only memory that this little branch of mistletoe brings back to her mind. She turns around to look at Jake, her smile now a little playful. She studies his face for a while; takes in the sight he offers, with the stubble that’s now been grazing his features ever since Mac entered their life and the wild curls at the top of his head.</p>
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  <p>There’s something about <em>dad Jake</em> that makes him more handsome than ever.</p>
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  <p>“Do you remember our first kiss?” she muses, finally breaking the silence between them. She brushes her free hand through his hair as she talks.</p>
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  <p>It makes Jake turn around, a smile forming on his lips as soon as their eyes meet. The way he looks at her, so soft and with a spark in his irises that’s been there from day one of their relationship and has never seemed to fade away since, makes her heart stop for a full second.</p>
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  <p>All these years and he still manages to take her breath away.</p>
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  <p>He brings her closer to his side and presses a kiss to her temple before he answers. “Of course I do. That night was crazy, with Holt’s demotion and all. And it’s not like I’d been waiting to kiss you for <em>so long</em>,” he adds in a knowing tone that makes Amy chuckle.</p>
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  <p>She’s quick to fall serious again, though, a mysterious glint in her eyes.</p>
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  <p>“I was talking before that.”</p>
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  <p>She watches as Jake’s face scrunches in a confused frown. She can’t blame him: he’s not wrong to consider this one kiss their <em>real</em> first. She does too.</p>
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  <p>But technically, if they want to be really precise, it wasn’t their <em>first</em> first.</p>
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  <p>“You mean the one at that fancy restaurant to keep our cover?” he tries again after a beat but Amy shakes her head, her smile growing bigger and more playful.</p>
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  <p>“No. <em>Before</em> that.”</p>
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  <p>For a moment, she wonders if he forgot. It’s not like they meant a lot for each other back then, and Jake isn’t known for having an impeccable memory — it’s quite the opposite. She wouldn’t hold it against him if he didn’t remember. Still, before revealing what she meant, Amy nods towards the door and the mistletoe hanging there as a hint. When she looks at her husband again, she sees how some understanding seems to flash inside his eyes while a grin forms on his lips.</p>
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  <p>“Oh — <em>that</em> one, huh.”</p>
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  <p>So he does remember after all…</p>
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  <p>It all happened almost a decade ago now, when Amy was still rather new to the Nine-Nine. Like every December, a Christmas party was organized at the precinct to celebrate the holidays. Food and Secret Santa gifts where shared, drinks were poured and the whole place was decorated according to the festivities. A few branches of mistletoe were hung in different rooms, and more than one pair of people found themselves tricked to kiss as per the tradition throughout the night.</p>
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  <p>Among them were Detectives Santiago and Peralta, young rivals who didn’t always get along well but who, despite their differences, made quite the team when working on a case together.</p>
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  <p>Amy remembers how she used to not be Jake’s biggest fan at the time. He tended to get on her nerves quite easily and seemed to <em>enjoy it</em> a great deal. He was a little too childish for her liking and even though he <em>did</em> make her laugh <em>sometimes</em>, she would have never acknowledged it back then — she would have never heard the end of it otherwise.</p>
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  <p>And yet there she was, standing a few feet away from him with a crowd led by Charles and cheering their names as a branch of mistletoe hung in-between their two bodies. Being so closed to him allowed her to witness the mischievous glow shining inside his eyes and how his pupils were more dilated than usual. He wasn’t drunk, but definitely tipsy while she, on the other hand, was completely sober.</p>
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  <p>He looked at her with a smug grin, that same grin that tended to annoy her sometimes.</p>
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  <p>For a second she let her eyes wander towards their colleagues — Charles in particular seemed very invested in the situation. More than kissing her rival, she didn’t really want to fuel the other cop’s fantasies of she and Jake ever becoming an item. <em>I’m hearing wedding bells!</em> his words from their first meeting still made her shudder in her dreams.</p>
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  <p>It would never, <em>ever</em> happen.</p>
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  <p>When she brought her gaze back onto Jake, what she read on his face disturbed her a little. The grin was gone, replaced by an expression she’d yet to see him wear — some insecurity, as he’d started fidgeting and was scratching the back of his ear in what Amy would learn with time is a nervous tic. She frowned at him but he talked before she could say anything.</p>
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  <p>“We don’t… have to do this if you don’t want to. It’s just a stupid tradition.” He shrugged.</p>
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  <p>She wondered if he’d been able to read through her while she was looking away. It took her off guard a little and she felt her heart warm up in her chest despite herself at his obvious concern. She smiled at him; something soft and sincere and so far away from her usual victorious grins she was used to shooting in his direction when she closed a case before him or beat him at whatever competition they were having.</p>
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  <p>“No. Let’s do this.” She shook her head.</p>
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  <p>Amy Santiago wasn’t one to back down from a challenge. Plus, it was just a kiss. It wasn’t like the soft press of Jake’s lips against her own was going to rock her world completely and spark some hidden emotions inside of her. They weren’t in a movie.</p>
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  <p>“If you’re OK with it too?” she added.</p>
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  <p>His smile soon morphed into its usual playful form. He looked relieved. “Great,” he said before he took a step forward and finally brushed her lips with his in a quick yet gentle peck.</p>
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  <p>It was over in the span of just a few seconds, with their colleagues cheering and clapping as if they were twelve, Charles not surprisingly being the loudest among them. When she looked at Jake after that, she realized that the smugness had disappeared from his face once more and replaced by something a lot sweeter — an expression she wasn’t used to, especially not directed towards her. It was somehow contagious, though, as it made her smile back.</p>
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  <p>The moment was soon gone as they went their own ways, Amy heading towards the open bar.</p>
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  <p>She never really thought about that night again for a long time, apart from the occasional reminiscence during later Christmas parties at the precinct, until pining feelings for her colleague-now-turned-friend started to creep up on her and she couldn’t help but muse about what it would be like, to share a <em>real</em> kiss with Jake Peralta.</p>
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  <p>Then the night of their undercover mission happened and somehow, against all odds, they got together, and got <em>married</em>, and now years later they have a son together.</p>
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  <p>And Amy gets to know, every single day for the rest of her life, what it feels like to be kissed by Jake Peralta for real. And does it feel great, despite whatever young Amy might have thought at the time.</p>
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  <p>“If you’d told me back then we’d end up together and have <em>a kid</em>…” she tells her husband, a soft, giddy giggle escaping her mouth as she looks up in his direction while the memory of that night washes over her.</p>
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  <p>The look he shoots her in return is full of love and awe and Amy can’t help but pity her former self for thinking she could never fall for <em>that</em>. For <em>him</em>.</p>
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  <p>“Crazy to think about it, huh? I for one am happy we worked it out though. And that I get to kiss you whenever I want now; with or without a mistletoe hanging above our heads.”</p>
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  <p>To emphasize his words, Jake presses a gentle kiss against her lips, smiling through it while Amy can’t help but hum her approval in return.</p>
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  <p>“Me too,” she whispers with a beam when they part then quickly kisses him again, <em>because she can</em>.</p>
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  <p>It soon turns more heated until, as if summoned by their conversation, the sound of their son crying through the baby monitor forces them away. It doesn’t take long for Amy and Jake to part and share a knowing look. Without a word, they get up and out of their bubble, ready to go see what’s wrong with Mac. Before they start walking up the stairs, though, Jake stops Amy in their tracks.</p>
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  <p>She frowns at him but he only smiles in return as he glances up at the ceiling — there is hanging another branch of mistletoe, right in the middle of their two bodies.</p>
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  <p>He tilts his head playfully, eyes shining with glee while he stares back at her. “For old times’ sake,” he says and Amy lets out a small chuck as she shakes her head.</p>
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  <p>Still, she obliges, kissing her husband one more time as a feeling of gratefulness takes over her whole body; for this man and the life they share with Mac — who they quickly go see as soon as they draw away from each other.</p>
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  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Comments and kudos are always appreciated :3 You can also find me on Tumblr @b99peraltiago!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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